نوع مقاله : علمی پژوهشی
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله English
نویسنده English
According to Quine’s perception, the ontological presupposition of science is physicalism; that is, science sees no need to assume the influence of supernatural entities, including God. If knowledge is restricted, as Quine does, to scientific knowledge, is there a way to move beyond physicalism and posit the agency of supernatural entities, including God? Several claims within Quine’s philosophy of science allow for the potential inclusion of supernatural entities in science: 1. Any theory that successfully passes the prediction test may implicitly rely on entities not directly verifiable through sensory tools. This implies the possibility of setting aside physicalism. 2. Holism, and 3. the underdetermination of theories. The underdetermination of theories creates space for competing, non-physicalist theories. On the other hand, Holism allows for arbitrary adjustments within the knowledge system when a theory fails the test of successful prediction. In other words, no precise scientific rule determines which knowledge component must be modified. Based on these ideas, the possibility of dialogue between proponents of divine agency in nature and physicalists remains limited. Influenced by emotional, cultural, and non-cognitive factors, each group can prioritize its preferences, even if the preponderance of epistemic evidence favors the rival explanation. Using referential and explanatory methods alongside case studies—such as the phenomenon of truthful dreams—this paper first demonstrates the possibility of including supernatural entities in science. However, it simultaneously shows that due to non-epistemic preferences in theory selection, the entry of such non-physicalist theories into the scientific domain remains constrained.
کلیدواژهها English
